


Attention

by Elfbert



Series: Attention [1]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-23 09:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6111781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfbert/pseuds/Elfbert
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Answer to the 25000 post challenge for Sue:</p>
<p>"I'd like to see Malcolm deliberately put partner before duty for once, and have to face the consequences."</p>
<p>I hope this goes some way to answering this challenge</p>
            </blockquote>





	Attention

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by TheGrrrl

### Trip

  
  
I whistle as I walk toward the armoury. Something's happened today that's pretty rare-that is to say, nothing's happened today, or nothing bad, anyway. Archer and T'Pol are down planetside, being wined and dined by Ambassador...something-only-Hoshi-can-pronounce, Travis is on the bridge, and I've finished my shift on time.  
  
I swing into the armoury and see Malc working at one of the consoles. I glance around, but I can't see any other crew in here, so I sneak up behind Malc and wrap an arm around his waist as I plant a kiss on his neck.  
  
"Evening, Commander," he says, not reacting at all.  
  
"Where're your crew?" I ask, wondering if I should let go of him.  
  
"I sent them away—they were..." he waves a hand in the air, which means they were annoying him. Sometimes Malc would rather sit down and work through a problem alone than get help, which I can understand, I guess, when I'm not the one he's sending away. "They're doing me a stock-check down in cargo bay four."  
  
"So we're all alone?" I slide my hands down his hips.  
  
"Yes, just you, me and a number of torpedo simulations," he answers.  
  
"Can't they wait?" I kiss his neck again, "I mean, you should be off duty by now, and I think torpedo simulations can wait until tomorrow, huh?"  
  
He's about to answer when the comm beeps. Malc's obviously still engrossed in the readouts on the screen in front of him, but he reaches out and answers it.  
  
"Reed here." "Oh, Lieutenant, Sub-Commander T'Pol would like to speak to you," Hoshi says.  
  
"Put her through, Ensign."  
  
"Lieutenant? The Captain and I are on our way back to Enterprise with the ambassador and guests. The Captain ask that Commander Tucker and yourself join us in approximately five minutes in shuttle bay one."  
  
"Of course, Sub-Commander," he says, not seeming to pay any attention.  
  
She cuts the connection and I lean next to Malc. "You ready to go?"  
  
He nods slowly, attention elsewhere. "I've just gone one more to run, then I'll finish up."  
  
I spin him around into my arms. He tries to look stern, but fails as a smile tugs the corners of his mouth. "I really must protest at this blatant harassment from a senior officer," he says, a glint in his eye. Then he pulls some sort of martial arts grab on me that ends up with me sprawled across the tactical console, and him leaning down and kissing me.  
  
I smile up at him, noticing that a comma of hair has fallen over his forehead and there's a wide smile on his face. "I suppose that'll teach me to harass the most dangerous man on the ship," I drawl, still lying back across his workstation.  
  
He pulls me back upright and kisses me. "It's all set up, it'll take a minute at most to run, then I can examine the data tomorrow."  
  
"Sure," I gesture for him to get on with it.  
  
He quickly sets up the computer to record all the data, then turns and smiles at me, "last time lucky?" He says.  
  
"Go for it," I grin.  
  
He hits the 'fire' button and watches as streams and streams of data fill the screens around him. There's a noise and the floor tremors slightly under my feet, I don't think anything of it as I watch Malc working, but he stiffens, looking around toward the front of the armoury. "Shit...fuck," he runs to the front torpedo tubes, and I don't get what he's doing.  
  
Then the comm beeps. "Lieutenant?" Travis' voice sounds strained, "we've just fired a torpedo...at Shuttlepod one."  
  
Sonofabitch. I look at Malc, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone's hands move so fast over a control panel. After what seems like hours, but must have been only seconds the ship shudders very slightly. Malc stops moving and lets his head thump forward into the wall.  
  
"The torpedo has detonated less than two hundred metres from the shuttlepod," I can hear the relief in Travis' voice, even over the comm.  
  
Malc isn't moving, so I move to the comm. "Damage?" I ask, my voice sounding horribly loud in the now-silent room.  
  
"Minimal, sir, although they were shaken about. The captain wants to know what happened."  
  
"Put him on," I say, not knowing what else to do.  
  
"Trip? What was that? T'Pol says that came from Enterprise."  
  
"It...did, Cap'n. I don't know quite what happened. Is everyone okay?"  
  
"Shaken. You might ask Phlox to meet us when we dock."  
  
"Sure thing, Cap'n." I can hear the repressed anger in his voice.  
  
"You might also ask Mr Reed to be available to speak to me as soon as I've ensured our guests are comfortable."  
  
I swallow. "Yes, Cap'n."  
  
Malc hasn't moved, so I tentatively walk over to him. As I get closer I can see that he's shaking.  
  
"Malc?"  
  
He turns to look at me, his face white.  
  
"They're okay, you heard Jonny, they're okay."  
  
"I...I nearly killed them, Trip," he whispers.  
  
I don't have a clue what to say, so I stay silent, looking into his wide eyes, reaching out and holding his arm tight, trying to infuse him with strength.  
  
"I nearly killed the Captain, the Ambassador-I could have..." he looks away and I think he might throw up.  
  
"Malc, you didn't...I mean, what-what happened?"  
  
He shakes his head and walks towards the console. He looks down at it, as if afraid to touch it, frozen.  
  
"Tr...Commander, I think you should ask that another security officer be present," his voice shakes, "a formal investigation will need to be carried out."  
  
Deep down I guess I know he's right, I know that he's got to follow the procedures, but it just doesn't feel right. He's the one who does the investigating, not the one who does things wrong.  
  
As I move to the comm panel he walks into his office. I contact the security team that are down in the cargo bay and summon them back up here. Then I follow Malc into his office, to check he's okay. As I walk in he quickly palms something, slipping his hands into his pockets. He smiles a decidedly shaky smile at me.  
  
"I called Morgan and Hurst back up here, they'll be up in a second."  
  
He nods, "Morgan should take charge-just check that she knows what to do. Don't tell them anything, especially not about you being in here when...just say you came in as I fired." He turns away from me, but I reach out and turn him back.  
  
"What d'you mean? Why should I say that?"  
  
"Because you don't need to get involved with this, love. This is serious, and I don't want you to be pulled into this investigation when it really has nothing to do with you. Your presence isn't an important part of this, so I think it would be better all round if we said that you weren't in here."  
  
I begin to protest, but he cuts me off. "What would you tell them?"  
  
"I, er, that I was in here, I saw you...aw, hell, Malc," I realise I really don't know what I'd say, I didn't see him doing anything particularly, I just saw him battling to prevent the disaster. "Okay, I'll say I came in as you fired," I agree. As I say it I can see the relief in his face, and know that I've done the right thing.  
  
"It will be easier to explain if we say I was alone in here. If we admit that you were here they might try to say that I was distracted from my duty," he says quickly.  
  
I nod, feeling like his mind's working about a hundred times the speed of mine. I stand silently.  
  
The armoury door opens and two of Malc's crew walk in. I recognise them both and walk out into the main armoury. "Morgan, there's been an incident, a torpedo was fired on Shuttlepod one. I need you to secure the scene-I can assure you nothing's been touched, but I'll need you to make a full report to the captain-he'll carry out a formal enquiry."  
  
She looks stricken, and shoots a quick glance into the office, where Malc's leaning on his desk. "Yes, sir, of course, sir," she answers.  
  
The comm beeps again, and I reach to answer it, kind of glad to have something to do.  
  
"Tucker."  
  
"Commander, I want to see Lieutenant Reed in my office now. I want you to get to sickbay and check on our guests, as soon as you get there send T'Pol to my office."  
  
"Yes, Cap'n." I say, trying to keep my voice level.  
  
I walk into the office and Malc looks up at me, his eyes look desolate. It shakes me, and it starts to dawn on me just how bad this could be for him. Except it was obviously a fault, I mean, I know that technically he would still be responsible, but system faults are par for the course, and he did kinda save the day with his quick thinking to set the torpedo to self destruct.  
  
He stands up and straightens his uniform, then smiles at me bravely. As he walks past I squeeze his hand, hoping to give him some sort of support and strength. I watch him walk away. I stand silently.  
  


* * *

  
  


### Malcolm

  
  
I walk toward the captain's ready room, the corridors seeming to stretch for miles; the turbo lift travels more slowly than it ever has before. I walk onto the bridge and see the Captain sitting in his chair, speaking to an alien on the viewscreen. He turns and looks at me, his expression controlled. "Wait there," he gestures to his ready room door.  
  
I stand to attention on the spot he gestures at and wait. He's trying to placate the alien, but I try to tune out the words, for once not wanting to hear. My defences are up, blocking out everyone, as if my cutting myself off might somehow change what happened, make it not real.  
  
I feel Hoshi's gaze on me, although she quickly looks away. I wonder if this is how it's going to be now.  
  
Finally Archer steps in front of me and opens the door. "Inside."  
  
I march smartly in, using protocol to hide my feelings. I perform a perfect quarter turn so that I face his desk, then wait. He doesn't tell me to stand at ease, he just walks around me, like a predator stalking out it's prey.  
  
"What happened, Lieutenant?" he finally asks, his voice hard. I sense that he's fighting for control.  
  
"I don't know, sir." I answer crisply, "Crewman Morgan is performing the preliminary investigation, on Commander Tucker's orders."  
  
"You fire a torpedo and you don't know how?" He sounds a little incredulous-as perhaps I would be, were the roles reversed. I can hear the rage bubbling under the surface, and I bank down the fear that's building inside me. Childhood left me with a number of fears ingrained on my psyche.  
  
"I was running simulations, sir. I'm not certain what went wrong."  
  
"You could have got us all killed!" He shouts now, not bothering to hide his emotions, "you fired a live torpedo on your own crew-how could you be so stupid? Not only could you have killed Crewman Wesley, T'Pol and myself, but you could have caused a diplomatic incident the like of which Earth has never seen!"  
  
I stand stiffly to attention, not moving a muscle. I don't know if this angers him more though, maybe he'd prefer a reaction. I don't trust myself to react, because that would mean opening up a chink in my carefully constructed armour, and I don't know if I'd be strong enough to hold the rest my feelings in.  
  
"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"  
  
I'm saved having to answer by the appearance of T'Pol. "Captain, I would remind you that you can be heard on the bridge," she says calmly.  
  
"I don't care where I can be heard, not when I'm faced with this kind of negligence from a member of crew who should know better," he spits.  
  
"Lieutenant Reed deserves a fair hearing, captain. Commander Tucker has informed me that a preliminary investigation has already been started, at the Lieutenant's own behest. I suggest we wait until the results have been reported to us, then the appropriate action can be taken."  
  
Archer looks like he might be about to shout at T'Pol too, but then turns away from us, staring out of the window. "Get out of my sight and stay out of it. You'll be confined to quarters under guard until further notice. T'Pol, organise a security detail." He sounds almost defeated, as if I've let him down so monumentally he may never recover. Maybe I have. I could have just unwittingly sounded Enterprise's death knell.  
  
T'Pol looks at me, one eyebrow slightly raised, then gestures to the door. I march out, knowing she's following me.  
  
The ride down in the turbolift is silent, and as I walk to my quarters I feel the tension-maybe the life-drain out of me with every step.  
  
"I shall call a security detail to stand guard, Lieutenant," T'Pol says, as I key in my door code.  
  
"Of course, come in, call them from here," I say, gesturing her inside.  
  
She looks surprised, but enters anyway. I think I'm a little surprised I offered. "You seem...unemotional, for a human presented with such circumstances," she says. I suppose it's the equivalent of Vulcan small talk.  
  
I feel totally separated from the situation-cold. I'm sure it will start to dawn on me that I'll have to face the consequences soon. "I...like you said, I'll wait for the report."  
  
She nods, then uses the comm on my desk to call some of my staff to stand guard. For a fleeting second I hope that they won't feel too awkward, standing guard of their commanding officer.  
  


* * *

  
  


### Trip

  
  
It takes a while to calm everyone down in Sickbay, but in the end between Jon, T'Pol and I we manage to appease the Ambassador and his group. For obvious reasons they decide not to stick around and some of their own folks come and collect them from Enterprise.  
  
When they've finally gone I'm left alone with Jon. He knows all about me and Malc, so I'm kinda waiting for him to say something.  
  
"Trip, I...understand you ordered the security team to start looking into the incident in the armoury," he finally says.  
  
"Well, Malcolm told me...yeah, I asked them to start the investigation," I quickly amend.  
  
"I've confined Malcolm to quarters, he's not to have any visitors," he fixes me with a stern gaze, "I mean no-one, not even you. Tomorrow we should have the first reports, then I'll decide what actions should be taken."  
  
I'm shocked, I guess. I mean, I know that it's not Malc's fault-it can't be, so it seems wrong to me somehow that he's being punished. But I guess Jon's got to come at this from an official angle.  
  
I just nod, not sure I can trust my voice.  
  
I escape as soon as possible, every fibre of my being wanting to go and see Malc. I want to be there for him, be there when he needs me, but I know that I'll never get past the security guards. I think about going to the gym, but I know that it would just remind me of Malc, hell, everything reminds me of him. Eventually I head back to my cabin and immerse myself in writing reports and completing all the paperwork for engineering that I normally ignore.  
  


* * *

  
  


### Malcolm

  
  
I pace, gently. Just the seven steps from one end of my quarters to the other, over and over again. The movement relieves some of the tension-moving it from my back and shoulders into a knot in my guts-a tightness in my chest. As soon as T'Pol left me and the guard were stationed outside my door I had completed the tasks I had set myself, pleased that no-one had thought to disconnect my computer terminal.  
  
Being the most highly trained security officer onboard has its advantages. I may be under guard, but I can still do my utmost to protect the one I love.  
  


* * *

  
  


### Trip

  
  
The next day Jon calls me up to the bridge. I've been hiding down in engineering-not that I don't want to see Jon; I just don't know what to say to him. When I step out the turbolift I see that Malc's there already, standing next to the captain's chair, two security officers loitering behind him. His head's down, and he doesn't look up when I enter. All I want to do is reach out and hold him, tell him that it'll all be all right. Jon and T'Pol are both standing on the other side of the chair, like they've picked sides or something.  
  
"Commander, we're just waiting for Admiral Weil, he'll be hearing the case from Star Fleet headquarters via subspace."  
  
I nod, looking across to Malc. I have to clear my throat before speaking, "Who...who's defending M...Lieutenant Reed?" I ask, trying to keep my voice even.  
  
"Lieutenant Reed has chosen to represent himself," T'Pol answers evenly.  
  
I can't say I'm surprised. I just wish it could be me defending him, telling them all what he's really like, that it wasn't his fault. Hell, I wish I was standing there next to him-standing there instead of him. I stand silently.  
  
"Sirs, the Admiral," Hoshi looks toward the viewscreen as Weil's craggy bearded face appears on it.  
  
"Captain Archer-I wish I was communicating with you under better circumstances," he says, sounding kinda tired.  
  
"Admiral Weil, thank you for agreeing to hear the case." Jon answers.  
  
Weil just waves a hand, obviously not enjoying this much-I doubt any of us are. "Tell me the facts, Captain."  
  
"Sir, the ship's records show that at 2134 and 42 seconds yesterday one torpedo was fired from tube two of our own armoury. The torpedo was set at fifty per cent yield and was not targeted. However, at that moment Shuttlepod One was heading toward Enterprise from the planet's surface carrying myself, Sub-Commander T'Pol and a delegation from the planet. At 2135 and three seconds the torpedo was destroyed using the built-in self-destruct mechanism. The torpedo exploded approximately two hundred and thirteen metres from the shuttle."  
  
The admiral nods slowly. "And I'm to understand that Lieutenant Reed was in charge of the armoury and all its systems at this time?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"And he stands charged with..." he checks his computer screen, "Gross Negligence leading to a direct threat to the safety or lives of Star Fleet personnel."  
  
I feel like I've been punched, I want to throw up; I want to shout at the Admiral, tell him that Malc wouldn't do that. I stand silently.  
  
"That's correct, Admiral." Archer glances at Malc, who's standing at attention.  
  
"Let's hear the evidence then."  
  
"Lieutenant," Archer gestures to the screen.  
  
"Sir." Malcolm salutes the screen, then returns to standing at attention. "I was running simulations, sir, details of which have been sent to you. As I ran the final simulation of the day something went wrong, sir. I'm not sure how it happened, sir, but the system switched back to live firing. When I began the simulation the torpedo was fired, sir. I realised immediately and set the self destruct sequence."  
  
The Admiral nods, looking at something on his screen-maybe Malc's simulation reports. "And it's that easy to switch from simulations to live firing, Lieutenant?" He asks.  
  
"Yes, sir. It has to be, in case of a sudden attack, sir."  
  
The Admiral nods. "And you don't know how this could have happened?"  
  
"I can only assume that I pressed the wrong button, sir."  
  
I gape, he's just virtually said it was his fault. I want to run over there and shake him. It can't have been his fault, not Malc...not my Malc.  
  
"You just 'pressed the wrong button', Lieutenant? You nearly killed numerous beings-your own Captain and First Officer included. Did you not think to check which button you were pressing?"  
  
"Normally I would have, sir, but obviously in this case I didn't notice, sir."  
  
And suddenly I realise, I realise why he froze when he looked at the control panel, I realise why he told me to say that I hadn't been there. The damn stubborn Brit. He's taking the flak, but it was probably me that pressed the button, when we were messing about, when he kissed me, and he's taking all the blame. I'm furious, I can't believe he's doing this. I want to run over to him and shake him, tell him to say I was there, that it was me. But I know that would get both of us in trouble, and maybe, maybe the thought of that scares me just a little too much. I stand silently.  
  
"And the video from the armoury?" The Admiral is asking.  
  
Sound rushes back at me, all my senses suddenly back online. The video, the security video. It's going to show what happened, it's going to show what we did. I almost make a noise; almost shout out to stop, not wanting our love to be used like this, not wanting it shown like this. We were just having a bit of fun. This isn't fun.  
  
The video appears on the screen-Malc working on his own. I guess they've run it back to before I was there. Jon must know, he must have watched the video, he must have seen it this morning. He knows it was me, he's been standing next to me and he knows it was my fault he nearly died.  
  


* * *

  
  


### Malcolm

  
  
I see Trip almost react to the video being mentioned. I should have told him, but I couldn't risk him not agreeing with my plan. I couldn't risk him ruining everything with his misplaced gallantry.  
  
I see myself on the screen, working on the panel, the chronometer in the corner of the screen ticking off the seconds. I work for a short while, then suddenly run across the room, and Trip appears on the lower screen, walking into the picture.  
  
I sneak a glance across the bridge and he's staring at me, open mouthed.  
  
The picture freezes as I walk back to the control panel and stare at it.  
  
"Lieutenant, is there anything you'd like to offer in your defence?"  
  
I stand up a little straighter, pulling my shoulders back. "No, sir."  
  
"Captain, I take it from looking at the video and the still footage that you have sent me, there is no doubt as to the fact that the Lieutenant is guilty of the charge."  
  
Archer stares at me before finally looking away. "No, sir." He answers, although he sounds sad, let down, as if he wished things could be different. I certainly wish they could.  
  
The admiral harrumphs a bit, then looks directly at me. "This is a very serious charge, Lieutenant. And while I accept there was no malice in your actions, and that the mistake was genuine, and I accept that you behaved above reproach in the aftermath of this incident, I cannot let it go without a severe penalty."  
  
I clench every muscle in my body, although I know I'm not showing any outward sign of tension. I just pray that I can hide my feelings as well when all this becomes real.  
  


* * *

  
  


### Trip

  
  
I hold my breath, just staring at Malc, letting the Admiral's words flow around me, as if they're part of a film.  
  
"You are found guilty of the charge, Lieutenant. I have studied your record, and see that you are accomplished in your field. As such, I'm sorry that such a lapse of concentration has led to such serious consequences. Mr Reed, you are being demoted, as of today, to Crewman."  
  
This time I nearly throw up. I can't believe what I'm hearing. Malc has to be the most hard working perfect officer I've ever met. This will destroy him. I look across and see that he hasn't moved a muscle.  
  
"Captain, I'll leave the mechanics to you." The admiral signs off, and the screen reverts to showing the star field that we're cruising through.  
  
Archer turns slowly to look at Malc.  
  
"Malcolm I...Mr Reed, I'm going to have to ask you to report to the quartermaster. You need to find new quarters and remove the rank pips from your uniform. There is also another matter..." Archer trails off.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Archer looks around, looking distinctively uncomfortable now that it's all real. "You will report to Commander Tucker as your line officer. And you will observe the non-fraternization rules as such."  
  
My world ends.  
  
I stand in silence.


End file.
